5-3-2? 5-2-1-2? 5-2-3? 3-5-2? 3-4-1-2? 3-4-3? You can almost say all of the aforementioned came into play at times (and with great efficiency), such was the fluidity of the approach and discipline of the players. However you look at it, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s system was absolutely perfect against Spurs. I'm not saying it is necessarily the way forward given the plethora of attacking options within the squad, but the manager has certainly proven he has an ability to adapt effectively to certain opposition.
"We need to control the game with and without the ball. With the ball, if you have players in different positions then we need to use the full width of the pitch. That’s the full-backs/wing-backs responsibility."
Solskjaer had a clear idea of the approach he was going to deploy - he had done ever since Tuesday. It was brave, but there was a clear poise about the whole system.
“Ever since Tuesday morning when we came in, we had a plan with the coaches. We sat down with the players, made sure that we're all buying into this plan. It's a little bit of a different approach when you're away from home, we've had a difficult week and they've stuck at it and worked really, really hard to get this result.”
“We know when we have a clean sheet we have a chance to win any game because of the quality we have up front, but it's about control. I thought we spread the game really well with the wing-backs. After the first six or seven minutes, when they had most of the ball, we settled down, we kept passing, we kept switching the ball, and you could see things opening up.”
Credit where it's due, the approach worked exceptionally.
The defensive stability offered by the selection of three centre backs was absolutely necessary and a great decision given recent defensive form, with Raphael Varane's reintroduction after injury invaluable. He's a Rolls-Royce defender - there's no two ways about it. The impact he has on the United defence is astronomical, with all porosity from recent weeks vanishing with him back amongst the defence. The trio at the back really created a vitally stable base.
The wingbacks were able to contribute defensively too, whilst disjointing the Spurs back four when pushing forward. There were multiple responsibilities upon their shoulders, but the pair played their respective roles very well. From very early on, they were able to exploit spaces within the opposing back line. I'd like to give a special mention to Aaron Wan-Bissaka actually - someone has been so frequently scrutinised for his attacking game; playing as a wingback, he looked extremely assured and offered sufficient threat in the final third.
The midfield pair of Scott McTominay and Fred are so often criticised too, but they definitely added to the required stability in order to dominate an admittedly weak Spurs outfit. Some argued it was a passive midfield, but the pair offered sufficient amounts in transition and progression. Speaking about McTominay, Solskjaer was adamant that "he was man of the match - by a mile."
The Scotsman was certainly standout. His passing ability is often doubted, but that was certainly not a problem yesterday. He completed 95% off his passes, which included 100% accuracy in the final third and all three long pass attempts being completed. He looked a serious presence when driving with the ball, completing all three of his attempted dribbles; with this ability to surge forward on the ball, he suffered three fouls. Looking at the defensive aspects of his performance, he completed a hefty four tackles whilst making a further two clearances and a single interception. He made six ball recoveries, with his 11 duels won the most by any United midfielder in a league game so far this season (this included a 100% aerial success rate).
The trio of Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo was incredibly effective ahead of the basis created by the defence and core of the midfield. There was no reliance on moments yesterday, because there was pure quality on display within the attacking areas.
Let's start with Fernandes - he was effective across the entire pitch with his faultless determination. He made more clearances and created more chances than any other player on the pitch in the 75 minutes he played, proving his efficiency in a real range of departments. He has now created more chances than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues this season, also leading the Premier League for shot creating actions and key passes.
The two ahead of him really caught the eye yesterday, though. Cavani and Ronaldo have a combined age of 70, with that experience proving crucial within the attack. They worked exceptionally as a pair, as shown by their combination for the second goal. Solskjaer rarely opts for a two up front, but his decision to deploy such system yesterday was absolutely perfect. The cohesion between the two - widely thanks to their vast experience - was fantastic to watch. They operated as a unit throughout, and it was incredibly effective.
His regular starting place may have been taken by Ronaldo, but Cavani continues to show utmost desire whenever he’s given an opportunity. His impact up and down the pitch is consistently invaluable when he's on the pitch. As a striker, he managed to win possession three times, block two crosses and make a clearance yesterday. The Uruguayan is the epitome of endeavour - he managed to rack up defensive numbers which even defenders would be content with. Looking at the attacking segment of his game (his main duty), he was very effective in linkup passages; 16 of his 22 passes were completed, with four of his five attempted long passes successful. He only had six touches inside the opposing penalty box, but managed four shots and a fantastically-taken goal.
Solskjaer claimed, “I've been here three years now and Tuesday's training performance from Edinson Cavani was probably the best performance anybody has ever put into a training session here.” One thing is for sure - he is a credit to Manchester United.
Ronaldo was, well, Ronaldo. Critics can keep rambling on, but the impact he is having is huge. He produced a wonderful finish (low on the volley at a very difficult angle) in subsequence to some extremely clever movement to evade Ben Davies for his goal late in the first half, proving why he is one of the greatest ever goalscorers. He finished off a second and almost broke the net as he found the top corner from around the edge of the box at the start of the second period, but his run was made marginally too early and he was deemed offside. Regardless, his goalscoring instincts were certainly evident. For the first time since his return to the club, an assist was provided with an incisive pass to Cavani following a deadly chop to break free of the Spurs men - rolling back the years. Able to link with his fellow striker, Ronaldo's creative edge came to the fore; he engineered two chances, completing 23 of his 28 attempted passes.
Laurie Whitwell reported that - moments before Ronaldo scored - he was urging his team to get width. Afterwards, he appealed for players to keep their heads, mindful of what happened after Rashford equalised at Leicester. Post-match, the Portuguese said, "Everyone knows their role in the team, it's not only the coach like many people point out, it's the players as well."
Experience really was a key to success.
Overall, the system was one of supreme organsiation - distinct improvement to the disarray against Liverpool. The defensive setup (stemming from the midfield) was well-calculated, restricting Spurs to no shots on target, largely thanks to the limited space allowed for them to exploit. Any press was efficient from United, with a far more controlled approach which allowed Spurs minimal time on the ball. Any danger was dealt with impeccably, helping to achieve the first clean sheet in ten matches.
United did have less possession, but their quality on the ball was wholly superior throughout.
Although it’s going to take a lot for most people to get over the travesty last weekend, there have to be plenty of plaudits for Solskjaer. Many things that he was criticised for were refined and ultimately overcome yesterday evening. The tactics and system used were perfect against this particular Spurs team, with in-game decisions similarly impressive. After all, substitutes Matic and Rashford combined for the third goal (even though the former was intended to see the game out, which was another successful approach).
On the topic of Rashford, he has now scored three goals in four games since his return from injury, with two coming from off the bench. In the league, he has two goals in only 106 minutes.
Anyway, it feels too reactionary to suggest that this is a turning point, but the management from Solskjaer was pinpoint. His side were far more disciplined, which is some improvement given the chaos of his tactical approach last weekend. It had undoubtedly been a tough week after losing in such fashion to such big rivals, so the response deserves lots of credit. It was brave to so dramatically change the system, but it really worked out as well as the coaching team could have wished.
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